Document job routing system for a printing system

In a printing system having a plurality of output areas and an image capture subsystem for reading a hardcopy document with image related information, the printing system further including a first memory location at which a first job, including a first set of image data, is stored and a print engine for producing a first set of prints based on the first set of image data stored at the first memory location, a method for routing a second set of image data of a second job to a second memory location for eventual output at a selected one of the plurality of output areas while the prints of the first set of prints are being produced with the first set of image data of the first memory location, comprising the steps of:

• a) directing the image capture subsystem to create the second set of image data of the second job from a hardcopy document having image related information;
• b) receiving, at a user interface associated with the printing system, a set of information indicating to a user of the printing system that the print engine is busy producing the first set of prints with the first set of image data of the first memory location;
• and
• c) in response to receiving the set of information, a user of the printing system directing a controller associated with the printing system to,
• (i) cause a second set of prints, representative of the second set of image data, to be produced subsequent to producing the first set of prints from the first set of image data, and
• (ii) cause the prints of the second job to be delivered to the selected one of the plurality of output areas, subsequent to said producing of the first set of prints.